Chronicles of the Jewish Community Fuerth 1933 - 1943

originally compiled by Grete Ballin and edited by Hugo Heinemanntranslated by Willie Glaser

ContentsPersonal Note and Credits by Willie Glaser

Foreword by Hugo HeinemannChronicles

Willie Glaser: The "final solution" for the Jewishcommunity in Fuerth

Willie Glaser: Anatomy and logistics of the Fuerthdeportations

Personal Note and CreditsI consider the chronicles as compiled by Miss Grete Ballin to be the only known recording of the ofevents during the Hitler years 1933-1943 in the Jewish community Fuerth. The Ballin chronicles area historic document worth a place in the annals of the destruction of the Jewish community Fuerthand other Jewish communities in Germany.I am very indebted to Mr. Moshe Heinemann for providing me with his late father’s book"Geschichte der Juden in Fuerth", which made this work possible.I am deeply grateful to Mr. Gerhard Jochem for his outstanding support in helping me and creatingthis work on the RIJO Web Site.I appreciate the great help provided by my good friends Faye and Karl Neubert.I fully recognize the historical input provided by:

• Mrs. Monika Berthold-Hilpert, Juedisches Museum Fuerth,• Dr. Edith Raim, Institut fuer Zeitgeschichte in Munich,• Mr. Harold Reissner,• Dr. Helmut Richter, head of Fuerth Municipal Archives, and• Dr. Herbert Schott, Wuerzburg State Archives.

My thanks to Mr. Fred Goldman, Ms. Kitt Heimann and Mr. Frank Harris for their support during theearly stages of this work.Willie GlaserSeptember 2004 / January 2005, St. Laurent Quebec, Canada

Foreword by Hugo Heinemann"The history of the Jews in Fuerth" has been documented extensively, which in part is also the foun-dation on which this document is based. However, the circumstances of these accounts are unique.They were written in 1943 by order of the secrete state police Nuremberg-Fuerth (its purpose couldnot be ascertained). As a result only the important moments from the Geschichte der Juden in Fuerth[The story of the Jews in Fuerth] from 1939-1943 could be hinted at. In which way the events playedout and the effects, can not be described in detail. The description of the night of November 9 and 10alone, with its consequences for the Jews, or the transports to the east and to Theresienstadt would fillvolumes. Only very few of the people involved ever returned, they are the ones to bear witness.This chronicle was assembled by the former and last secretary of the Jewish Community Fuerth, MissGrete Ballin, who herself became a victim of the National Socialist exterminators.For the development of the history of the Jews in Fuerth only scant community statistics and othermaterials were available. The largest portion of the files of the previous Jewish community Fuerth(Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Fuerth) was lost when the community houses located in the Schulhof(Synagogue square) were destroyed in November 1938 by fire. Community statistics were used againbeginning 1939.

The Chronicles

Anti-Semitic street sign in Fuerth after January 1933. The German text "Juden sind unser Unglueck"means "The Jews are our misfortune".

(Photo: Fuerth Municipal Archives)

1933The seizure of power by the NSDAP (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei), the NationalSocialist German Worker Party, brought about a total change in community life and in the lives ofevery Jew. In the course of the enforced conformity [Gleichschaltung], Jews were removed from thepublic, sport and other clubs, state positions, theatre, lecture and concert halls and places of amuse-ment. By necessity, the Jews were forced into small circles, a sort of mental ghetto, which revolvedaround the community house as it existed before the equal rights law.During this time, Dr. Salomon Levy, who became the new syndic [chief magistrate] on February 28,1933, proved to be of invaluable help. Under his steadfast and purposeful leadership the whole tenorof the community changed, which up to now had mainly served the religious needs of its members,instead it developed into a center for the social and intellectual life of the Jews. A library and readingroom was installed and space was set aside for lectures and other functions. An advisory office wasopened for people wishing to emigrate, change profession , look for a new job or in need of assis-tance in other ways. The advisory office in Fuerth also served the smaller country communities.Jewish lawyers supplied legal advice to the indigents free of charge. Educational courses in language,commerce, home economics and dress and pattern making were offered to prepare people for newoccupations and to advance their chances for emigration. Concerts and lectures with entertaining andeducational topics were organized, many of which took place in the synagogue. An extensive libraryand a reading room was available to members including those from the small country communities.The community tried to support its members with economical and spiritual help, which was neededmore than ever.Because of rising unemployment amongst the Jews of Fuerth, the demands on the welfare center ofthe community became a great challenge, the only help was the sacrifices by the Jews of Fuerth andthe donations by Jews of Fuerth who emigrated.Ongoing care for the sick became a necessity. More than ever it was necessary to look after doctorsand medications. Funds had to be found to take care of convalescent care for sick children and adults,as well for emigration aid, which was centralized in Fuerth for northern Bavaria."Help and Reconstruction", a relief organization, aided in the regrouping and emigration of Jews. Itsupported those who were facing changes and were ready to emigrate, but it also supplied the needywith sufficient money to buy provisions and pay for the cost of immigration. From the funds of thisrelief organization, a series of children transports ("Kindertransport") to America, England, France,Holland, Belgium, Sweden and Palestine was arranged. The law to re-establish the career profession(RGBI [Reichsgesetzblatt] I [Vol I], p [page] 175) was published April 7, 1933. It called for officialsof non-Aryan ancestry to retire, exemptions only applied to persons, which were employed as offi-cials since August 1, 1914, were front line soldiers or those whose fathers and sons fell during theworld war.The same day a law was passed, as to who was to be admitted to the bar in order to repeal the admis-sion of non-Aryan lawyers retroactive to September 30, 1933. Exemptions were valid to the sameextent as the law to re-establish the career profession.(RGBI I, p 188)It was decreed with the law from April 22, 1933 regarding the admission to the profession of patentlawyers and attorneys, that non-Aryan patent lawyers on the list of patent lawyers are to be termi-nated by September 9, 1933. Exemptions are permitted on the basis of the "Law to re-establish thecareer official profession". (RGBI I, p 217).At a meeting of the board and inner administrative council on June 21, 1933, it was announced thatfrom now on police permission would have to be obtained for any future gathering.The "National Association of Jewish Front Line Soldiers" ("Reichsbund juedischer Frontsoldaten")founded a sport club on June 9, 1933, in order to give young Jewish sportsmen and athletes, who hadbeen excluded from German clubs, a chance to continue their physical activities and training. Thenecessity of such an undertaking was proven by the fact that even before the establishment of theclub on June 21,1933, 140 adults and adolescents had signed up for membership. This participation

and interest continued as long as the club existed.In August 1933,Jews were no longer permitted to attend the local river bathing facilities.At the end of 1933,the national association of Jewish front line soldiers were given the task of takingcare of their own war invalids.A new law was passed limiting the school attendance of Jewish children to 1.5% of the entire studentbody. This did not apply to children whose fathers were front line soldiers. During 1933, this edictresulted in an increase of Jewish students, who came from other grammar schools or arrived fromarea communities to attend the Jewish elementary school and the Jewish high school (Realschule).During a meeting on December 3, 1933 the corporate body of the administration approved the estab-lishment of a loan association.

1934In January 1934, this project took shape and a district loan association was established to grant loansfor productive purposes to the members of the Jewish communities who are members of the rabbinatedistrict Fuerth. This year saw the installation of sewer pipes in the property at Blumenstrasse 31,where Jewish students were housed. An extension was added to accommodate toilet facilities andother structural improvements were undertaken. At that time the membership of the congregationremained at 1500.

1935At a meeting of the board and the administrative council, it was announced that the city of Fuerthwould only permit burials at reserved graves in the Jewish cemetery. Once all these plots were filled,no further burial sites could be added.On April 1,1935, the membership in the community stood at 1580. The number of Jewish studentswas 238.The law from May 21, 1936, excluded Jews from army service (RGBl I, p 609).On September 15, 1935, a new law was passed "For the protection of German blood and Germanhonour". The first decree to implement this order (RGBI 1S. 1145) had the following drastic conse-quences for German Jews:"Jews may remain members of the state, but not of the realm (Reich). They are to forfeit their votingrights and can no longer hold any official position".Marriage between Jews and citizens of German or similar blood is prohibited, as well as marriagesbetween Jews and those of mixed marriages II grade are prohibited. Jewish civil servants are to retireby December 31, 1935.Aryan domestics are no longer permitted to work for Jewish families unless they are past the age of35, nor can any new help be employed, but may be re-hired upon completion of the 45th birthday.In August 1935, additional construction in the Jewish hospital took place. The court yard buildingwas completely renovated with a mechanical laundry.In line with other Jewish communities, the Jewish community Fuerth for the first time carried out thewinter aids program ("Winterhilfe") during the winter of 1935/36 according to the guide lines per-mitted by the national representative for the winter aids program in agreement with the central socialwelfare center for German Jews. The assistance provided for needy people was in the form of money,food and coal vouchers.According to the decree issued December 13, 1935, Jews were prohibited from carrying out the lawprofession.

1936According to a ministerial resolution issued July 31, 1936, no instructions with a religious curricularis permitted in elementary and high schools. Jewish schools assigned a special status for religiouseducation in Jewish schools.On October 13, 1936, the Jewish sport and gymnastics club, which was founded in 1934 by the Na-tional Association of Jewish Frontline Soldiers, was disbanded because according to an official di-rective of October 15, 1936, only neutral Jewish gymnastic and sport clubs will be accredited.October 15, 1936 the "Jewish Sport Club Fuerth was founded. On December 1, 1936 sport groundsand a hall build with corrugated iron sheeting was rented in the upper Karolinenstrasse.

1937The termination of membership of the officials of the Jewish community in the Bavarian social bene-fit insurance plan took effect on March 31, 1937. As of April 1, 1937 the officials received socialbenefit insurance coverage by the association of Jewish communities in Bavaria, which existed untilits dissolution on December 31,1939.It was pointed out in a decree issued by the national minister of education about the legal status ofGerman Jews in the German school system, that Jewish school children were permitted to attendGerman elementary schools if no Jewish schools were available, in that case collective classes forJewish pupils have to be set up. Regarding the admission of Jewish students in alternative schools,the determination of the law against crowding in German schools and high schools is relevant,meaning that Jewish students will only be admitted if they represent no more than 1.5% of new ad-missions. Provisions have been made for prospective candidates for the teaching staff ("FraenkischerKurier" newspaper July 15, 1937).

1938On February 6, 1938, Jews lost all rights for reduction of income tax (Child benefits).Beginning January 1938, the city of Fuerth no longer issued identity cards to Jews.On March 28, 1938, a law was passed regarding the legal relationship of the Jewish community. Withthis law, the Jewish communities and their organizations lost their status as a public corporation as ofMarch 31, 1938 . From this point in time they have been declared an association, having legal capac-ity with regards to the civil law. (RGBI. I 1938/S.338).Furthermore, with the same law the civil employees of the Jewish communities have lost their statusas civil employees.The enrolment of the Jewish community in Fuerth in the association register [of communities] tookplace on December 15, 1939. By-laws were enacted according the sample by-laws of the NationalAssociation of Jews in Germany.On March 28, 1939, a law regarding the legal relationships of the Jewish communities was issuedwith the consequence, that government finance offices stopped collecting community taxes (Churchtax), which had been previously collected since April 1, 1938. It was decided in a combined meetingof the board and administrative council, that members of the community who had been required bychurch tax law to pay a church tax would also be required to make a city and country contribution,namely:As income tax,15% for assessed persons,8% for wage earnersfrom tax on wealth,15% of assets,

furthermore, church money according to the community scale.From the income, wage and asset taxes collected, 3/4 went to the Jewish community in Fuerth and1/4 to the national association [Bavaria].In April 1938, there were 176 students attending the Jewish high school and 81 students attending theelementary school.In a decree issued in April 1938 Jews were ordered to declare their entire assets (RGBI I, p 414). Anotification was issued on July 23, 1938 regarding the compulsory identification card for Jews.With the 4th decree to the law for national citizens of July 25, 1938, the approbation of Jewish doc-tors expired. Permission to practice as physician was only permitted after the national chamber ofphysicians made a proposal to the interior minister, which was revocable any time. Jewish doctorswere only permitted to treat Jews. (RGBI I, p 963).With the second decree of implementation of the law regarding changes to the family name and firstname, issued August 17, 1938, (RGBI I, S. 1044), the order was given that as of January 1, 1939,Jews have to carry an additional given name, namely for male persons the first name Israel and forfemales persons the first name Sara. In a general decree from the ministry of the interior (1938, Nr.35) dated August 16, 1938, a decision was made, that German or stateless Jews must use the givenname as set out in the attachment to the general decree and that they must use the additional givennames of "Israel" and "Sara" in all legal and business transactions.Mr. Julius Israel Frueh, currently a member of the administrative council of Fuerth, was elected onAugust 15, 1938 to the board of the community. On August 4, 1938, Mr. Frueh was named chairmanof the board of the community. He officiated as chairman of the board till the integration of the Jew-ish community into the National Association of Jews in Germany. He was the last president of theJewish community in Fuerth. After the integration of the community [into the National Associationof Jews in Germany], Mr Frueh was appointed manager of the administration center Fuerth of thedistrict office in Bavaria.A decree issued on September 27, 1939, forced Jews to retire from the legal profession; for legal ad-vice and representation for Jews, Jewish consultants were appointed. (RGBI I, p 1403)During October 1938, 54 Polish Jews living in Fuerth were deported to Poland.By the end of October and beginning of 1938 all Jews from Zirndorf and other small country com-munities moved to Fuerth because they could no longer live in their previous residences.

Fuerth's main synagogue after "Kristallnacht" in November 1938

(Photo: Fuerth Municipal Archives)

On November 9, 1939, all buildings and synagogues belonging to the community and located in theSchulhof [synagogue square] were destroyed by fire. The real estate holdings of the community inthe Schulhof and the land of the two cemeteries will be accredited [to the city of Fuerth] on the basesof a notarial and contractual offer of 100 mark. It was imposed on Jews through the decree from No-vember 12,1938, regarding the restoration of the street image of Jewish industrial enterprises (RGBII, p 1581), to restore all damages, which occurred on November 8, 9 and November 10, 1938 to Jew-ish industrial enterprises and homes. The cost of which is the responsibility of the owners of theJewish industrial undertakings and home owners.

Writing on the wall of the Jewish orphanage in Fuerth after "Kristallnacht". The entire slogan reads "Wi r lassenDeutsche nicht von Juden morden" (We don't let Germans get killed by Jews).

(Photo: Fuerth Municipal Archives)

On November 12, 1938, a decree was issued for Jews with German nationality regarding atonementpayments, accordingly Jews had to pay 20% of the assets, which were reported to the government onApril 26, 1938 (RGBI I, p 1570). A further decree was issued on November 12, 1938 regarding theexclusion of Jews from German commercial activities. With this decree, the operations of all tradeand industrial activity by Jews was prohibited (RGBI I, p 1580).During 1938, the administration of the Jewish community was moved to the building of the Jewishschool in the Blumenstrasse 31. Worship services were only held in the Jewish hospital and in theJewish orphanage and only according to orthodox rites.On the basis of the decree of November 19, 1938 regarding the public welfare for Jews (RGBI I, p1649), the welfare for indigent Jews was transferred to the free Jewish welfare care office. From thispoint on, the welfare office of the Jewish community was obliged to aid and support all needy Jewsliving in Fuerth and to take care of all medical treatments, shelter, clothing and nursing.Starting December 2, 1938, a ban went into effect prohibiting Jews to move to the cities of Nurem-berg and Fuerth.A decree was issued on December 3, 1938 regarding the disposition of Jewish assets (RGBI I, p1709). The law contained the following instructions: The owner of a Jewish commercial enterprise isgiven a choice either to dispose of or wind up his commercial activity. Furthermore, a Jew has torelinquish his agricultural or forestry enterprises, his other real estate property or other parts of prop-erty has to be disposed of within a certain period. The disposal of real estate requires authorization.Jews may not acquire real estate or rights related to real estate through legal dealings.The same decree established the compulsory deposit and the ban to acquire to, pawn or to disposefreely of objects of gold, silver, platinum, precious stones and pearls.Number of members of the community as of December 31, 1938: 975

1939With the 8th decree to the National citizens law from January 17, 1939, the cancellation of appoint-ments as Jewish dentists, veterinarians and pharmacists was pronounced.However, dentists could practise their profession until revoked by the minister for the interior (RGBII, p 47).According to the circular letter from the National Association for Jews, this association was ap-pointed as the central organization for all Jews in Germany with the exception of the "Ostmark" [oc-cupied Austria]. The Jewish communities remain as branches of the National Association. All otherassociations (clubs, foundations) with the exception of the Jewish cultural organisation, the Palestineoffice and the affiliated Palestine fund will be terminated.On January 30, 1939, the first decree was published for execution of the law regarding the legalmeasures for the Jewish community associations (Regulations for the by-laws of the associations).The third regulation arising out of the decree regarding the declaration of Jewish assets was publishedon February 21, 1939. Accordingly, all Jews had to deliver all objects of gold, platinum, silver, pre-cious stones and pearls to the public purchasing center (RGBI I, p 282).The members of the Jewish community in Fuerth had to deliver their valuable objects to the munici-pal loan office in Nuremberg.In a circular letter from February 25, 1939, the National Association for Jews in Germany ("NationalAssociation" will be used in further texts) issued an order to implement the collection of an extraor-dinary levy (called emigration levy ["Auswandererabgabe"]). From this point in time, emigrants hadto contribute to a levy, which had "the purpose to raise the means to implement the goal of the Na-tional Association, which was emigration, schooling and social work." From June 1939, the emigra-tion levy was raised and collected by the Jewish community in Fuerth. During this period, some212,668 Mk from emigration levies were received. According to a decision by the National Associa-tion, only the larger Jewish communities were entitled to set the terms and collect the levies. TheJewish community in Fuerth did not fit this category and could not collect this levy. Therefore, dur-ing the following period the Jewish community undertook only the preparatory work and calcula-tions, while the final agreements and the collection of levies was the responsibility of the district of-fice in Munich. According to our records, the district office received a further 50,000 Mark in emi-gration levies from members of the Jewish community in Fuerth.The law from April 30, 1939, regulates the rental relationship with Jews. (RGBI I, p 864)In April 1939 the students in the Jewish elementary school numbered 43, in the Jewish high school53.The liquidation of the Jewish district loan bank was concluded on May 5, 1939.The Jewish community established a residential hostel for 12 persons in a rented Jewish house in theLindenstrasse 22, to house Jews who had to vacate their dwellings in Aryan houses. This was ac-cording to an order issued by the municipal housing office on April 30, 1939, thereby freeing 9 Jew-ish dwellings. The Jewish community reconditioned the hostel at a cost of about 4000 Marks andmissing operating and furnishings objects were installed. An administrator couple attended to theoccupants for a reasonable boarding house fee. The hostel was maintained till April 1942.From this time on, the municipal housing office used the Jewish community for liaison purposesmore frequently in matters of lodgings for Jews. The Jewish community assigned an assistant to han-dle only matters relating to shelter issues. This special assistant had to look after the communicationswith the municipal housing office and adequate accommodation for the Jews in Fuerth. In accordancewith the wishes of the municipal housing office to free up more dwellings and to remove Jews fromAryan houses, the Jewish community rented more homes, which were reconditioned at the expenseof the Jewish community and were to be occupied by Jewish families. As of August 1939, shelterwas provided accordingly:

• In the Friedrichstrasse 14 17 persons• At the Bahnhofsplatz 1 12 persons• At the Bahnhofsplatz 4 23 persons• In the Julienstrasse 2 9 persons

Apart from the so called "Jew houses", 21 Jews were also sheltered in Hindenburgstrasse 29 (whichalso was designated as a "Jew House"). Contrary to the operation of the hostel in the Lindenstrasse22, these dwellings provided a common use of the kitchen.During June 1939, 20 Poles [Jewish] who lived in Fuerth were deported; 9 were deported to Polandor went abroad, the rest received an extension of their residence permit.The 10th by-law to the national citizen law from July 4, 1939 (RGBI I, p 1097) decided basically thefollowing:"The Jews will be gathered in a National Association ..."The National Association will serve as a local branch of the Jewish community ...""The National Association had the purpose to advance the emigration of Jews.""In addition the National Association is:1. Bearer of the Jewish school system,2. Bearer of the free welfare work."Effective July 1, 1939, the only levies raised by the Jewish community were for the account of theNational Association. The calculation for the year 1939 was:At least 25% for income tax and a 200% tax on assets.Of the levies received as of June 30, 1939, which were shown as receipts by the Jewish community,one quarter was forwarded to the district office Bavaria in Munich.As of July 1,1939, no more allotments were set aside for the district office.In line with the closure of Jewish associations, the closure of the Jewish sport club and the Jewishwomen's association took place on July 31, 1939.During July 1939, the Jewish community and a toy manufacturer mutually agreed that the manufac-turer will provide ongoing home work for Jewish women. The Jewish community provided a room inthe school building, in which home work could be carried out. Some of the women worked in theirown homes. This was the first small achievement for the Jewish community to bring back membersof the community who were able to work into the labour force. It became possible for a number ofemployable Jewish men to work as construction workers.On August 22, 1939, the Jewish community made a proposal to the secret state police and the Fuerthpolice department , that during the coming high holidays a liberal parallel prayer service may takeplace in the auditorium of the Jewish school in the Blumenstrasse 31. This proposal was approved.On September 17, 1939, the director of the Jewish community received an oral order from the secretstate police in Nuremberg, that Jews must stay indoors between 8 o'clock in the evening and 6 o'clockin the morning.On September 19, 1939, Fuerth had to absorb 39 Jewish migrants from the western territories. DuringOctober 1939, a further 13 migrants arrived in Fuerth and in November another 10 migrants arrived.Altogether 62 Jewish migrants were referred to Fuerth, amongst them 10 children from the orphanagein Esslingen, they were absorbed into the local Jewish orphanage. The rest of the migrants werelodged with Jewish families. In 1940, some of the migrants were able to return to their former placeof residence. The rest had to join the emigration transports in 1941/42, partly to Poland and Riga, andpartly to Theresienstadt.On September 24, 1939, the Jews of Fuerth received a demand to surrender all radio receivers to thepolice.In a circular letter dated September 25, 1939, the Jewish community advised its members, that ac-cording to the official order the purchases of food supplies in food stores, designated by the secretstate police, can only take place between 3 and 5 o'clock in the afternoon on week days, with the ex-ception of Saturdays.The Jewish schools in Fuerth: The private Jewish high school and the Jewish elementary school were

taken over by the National association (Paragraph 6 of the 10th decree of the national citizens law).Through the 2nd implementation decree regarding the amending of indemnification [Suehne] fromthe Jews from October 13, 1939, the levy on Jewish assets to attain the amount of one thousand mil-lion Reichsmark was raised from 20 % to 25 % of the assets (RGBI I, p 2059).On October 23, 1939, the Jewish community office released by-laws which were prepared on thebases of the sample by-law of the National Association.The chief of the security police and the security service [SD = Sicherheitsdienst = security service]from October 23, 1939, which decreed the integration of the Jewish orphanage in Fuerth with that ofthe National Association. The assets of the institution in the course of the year consisted of charitabledonations and memorial endowments, which were collected to remember deceased persons. Themonies collected amounted to about 700,000 RM and were transferred to the National Association.After the integration, the institute was renamed and carried on as "Children’s Home Fuerth of theNational Association for Jews Fuerth/Bavaria."On December 15, 1939, the following entry was made in the association register:"V.R.V. - 15. 12. 39. Jewish community Fuerth, a registered association Fuerth, established with thestatutes from October 23, 1939. The chairman represents the association legally and non-legally.Chairman: Julius Israel Frueh, merchant in Fuerth".The national minister for science, education and public education in agreement with the nationalminister of the interior ordered the integration of the "Association of the Jewish high school" into theNational Association of Jews in Germany. The assets of the association (school) in the amount of32,000 RM was transferred to the National Association.End of December 1939 - beginning 1940,assets of nearly all Jews living in Fuerth were placed undersecurity directive.On December 31, 1939, the Jewish community counted only 623 members compared to a member-ship on January 1, 1939, with 975 members a reduction of 352 members which can be attributed tothe emigration of Jews from Fuerth.The disbursements of the Jewish community in 1939 were:For emigration and occupational changes RM 35,900For social welfare and accommodation aid RM 75,700For education purposes RM 44,000.The assets of the Jewish community (without assets from endowments, assets of the school and assetsof the Jewish orphanage), amounted on December 31, 1939 to RM 402,000.

1940On January 1, 1940, the assistance bank of the union of Bavarian Jewish communities, of which thecommunity in Fuerth was a member, was dissolved.For the year 1940, the following contributions had been decided on by the "National Association":30% from the Income tax or ¼ - 2% of total assets.By a circular of the minister of economy from January 23, 1940, the National Association was noti-fied that Jews will no longer receive a clothing card and that Jews will not be entitled to receive cou-pons for fabrics, shoes and material for soles. They were only allowed a coupon for sewing materialsin the amount of RM 20,00 every three months. The supplying of Jews with fabrics and shoes willhave to be looked after by the "National Association" by the way of mutual help. By the order of theNational Association, clothing depots were established by the larger communities in the German do-main. A collection of clothing, underwear, linen, and shoes by the members of the community re-sulted in a large enough inventory to open a clothing depot on March 11, 1940.

On May 19, 1940, a shoe repair work shop was added to the clothing depot. Tools utensils and a shoemaker sewing machine was bought. A Jewish worker was employed who repaired the defective shoesfor the clothing depot. The clothing depot was taken care of by volunteers until September 1942, af-ter this time the clothing depot was taken care of by employees of the administrative post.During the year 1940, in cooperation with the municipal housing office, some so called -Jews dwell-ings- were rented to house Jewish families, who had to vacate their homes.

• Hindenburgstrasse 3 for 20 persons• Adolf-Hitlerstrasse 32 for 5 persons• Adolf-Hitlerstrasse 26 for 7 persons• Holzackerstrasse 40 for 3 persons

The rental apartment building of Holzackerstrasse 40 and the property on Lindenstrasse 22 was sup-posed to be used as a Jewish residence. However, the cost of repairs and maintenance of the housewere incomparably high. The use and operation of the heating system met with difficulties and onlyone family was housed there. Despite that, the property, for which we had to pay only the housingexpenses and taxes was kept up by us until the emigration in March 1942 of the family living there,also because it was situated right next to the city forest with a large garden and we could use the gar-den as a play ground and physical exercise area for our school children.Starting February 1940, the Jewish community administration in agreement with the Aryanizationoffice gave Jewish home owners, whose houses were administered and made ready for selling by theAryanization office small monthly loans to secure their livelihood if they did not have any other in-come or assets.The Aryanization office at once notified the Jewish community office of the sale of the property, sothat the community office could claim a refund. A refund for the loan was effected by the Aryaniza-tion office. In the case of subsequent denaturalization of the debtor, a notification to the finance of-fice in Berlin-Moabit is necessary.On March 8, 1940, we sent as demanded to the Reich’s Kinship research, Department for Jewish Per-sons register in Germany, Berlin N 4, Oranienburgerstrasse 28- 73 registration books as follows:

• Birth register of the Jewish community Fuerth 1698 - 1876• Circumcision register of the Jewish community Fuerth 1696 - 1812• Marriage register of the Jewish community Fuerth 1781 - 1940• Death register of the Jewish community Fuerth 1662 - 1876• Protocol books of the Chewra Kadisha of the Jewish community Fuerth 1730 and 1785• Memorial books of the Alt and Neuschule (Synagogues) of the Jewish community Fuerth• Midwife register of the Jewish community Fuerth 1787 - 1804• Membership register of the Jewish community Fuerth 1863• Death register Alter Friedhof (Old cemetery) Jewish community Fuerth 1867 - 1927• Cemetery register of the Jewish community Fuerth 1890 - 1928• Extract from the register book of the Rezatkreises [old name of Central Franconia] city of

Fuerth 1819 and 1858• Account book 18th century• Testimony books 1812 - 1831• Statute books Fuerth 1721• Cemetery register Fuerth• Register of graves of the new cemetery in Fuerth.

The following registration was also sent: Birth, marriage and death registers of the following Jewishcommunities:Baiersdorf, Bruck, Buechenbach, Diespeck, Erlangen, Markt Erlbach, Farnbach, Kairlindach, Lan-genzenn, Neustadt, Pahres, Schnodsenbach, Scheinfeld, Schornweisach, Uehlfeld, Weisendorf, Wil-hermsdorf.According to the order from the Bavarian state ministry for education and religion, dated December

16, 1939, the private Jewish high school in Fuerth was dissolved, effective March 31, 1940.The students of this school were transferred to the Jewish public school in Fuerth.The school had to be closed due to low student volume.In the time from April 1, 1940, to September 30, 1940, a curfew limited individual movements forJews from 9.00 PM to 5.00 AM.During the course of the year 1940 almost all able bodied Jewish men worked. They were employedpartly for road and underground work and partly in factories. The procurement of work for Jews wasdifficult, because of existing regulations, that Jews had to be kept separate from Aryan workers andthe factories lacked the appropriate space. Therefore, in order to use all able bodied men, we freed uptwo rooms on the property on the Blumenstrasse 31for work purposes. We gave one room to a toyfactory to install 4 presses and a lacquer shop. We gave another room to a Nuremberg factory, whichmanufactured electric heaters. The work consisted of coiling heating elements. The electric heaterfactory employed about 10 Jewish workers. We made an agreement with the toy factory to act asagents and home work was accepted on behalf of people under our care. Thus, we were able to pro-vide work for about 20 Jewish men and women and also for elderly men, who otherwise would havebeen a welfare burden.The women worked only a short time for our agency, because they found more profitable employ-ment in Nuremberg and Fuerth.On August 12, 1940, the long distance telephone office in Nuremberg cancelled all long distancecalls for Jews in Fuerth effective September 1, 1940. Exemptions were granted only for Jewish con-sultants (Doctors), nurses, hospitals, Jews with foreign citizenship and for the National Associationand its subordinate organizations.The Jewish community office announced in a circular letter dated November 7, 1940, that membersof the community, who have to use the railway during the hours of 8.00 PM and 6.00 AM (curfewtime), have to obtain a pass from the director of the Jewish community office.Starting November 7,1940, the regular conducting of religious services on Friday evening and Satur-day morning in the rear building of the property on the Blumenstrasse 31 (auditorium of the school)was permitted by the secret state police. A liberal religious service was conducted there until March1942.The nursing school of the Jewish community in Fuerth, Blumenstrasse 31, which is attached to theJewish hospital in Fuerth, Theaterstrasse 36 is recognized and subject to recall as a nursing school for6 nursing students of the Jewish nursing sisterhood in the meaning of paragraph 4 of the first decreeregarding the professional exercise of nursing and the formation of nursing schools (Nursing decree -KrPfl.V - v. 28. 9. 1939 RGBI I, p 1310). The above is the outcome of a letter of recognition, datedNovember 29,1940 on the bases of the Runderlass [decree], dated October 9, 1939 from the NationalMinister of the Interior, through the provincial premier in Ansbach. The nursing school accepted 6nursing sister students, and on a temporary basis, 7 nursing sister students, some did emigrate, 4nursing sister students graduated from the prescribed nursing course. A state examination could nottake place, because the examination date set by the provincial premier in Ansbach conflicted with theexecution of a large emigration and only 2 student nurses remained in the hospital. Through the sec-ond decree for the execution of the decree to levy a social equalization tax, it was decided that therules for raising of a social equalization tax also applies to Jews effective January 1, 1941.Number of members of the Jewish community on December 31, 1940: 644. On December 31. 1939:623. An addition of: 21.This inflow has to be attributed to the moving in of children from country communities, who wereunable to attend schools there and therefore had to be absorbed in the children’s home in Fuerth ofthe National Association of Jews in Germany.In the year 1940, the expenditures of the Jewish community among others were:For costs of occupational changes and emigration: RM 8,000.00For welfare: RM 94,600.00For school purposes: RM 25,000.00

On December 31, 1940, the assets of the Jewish community amounted to (without endowment assets,assets of the school and the children’s home in Fuerth) RM 342,000.00.

1941With a circular letter dated May 14, 1941, the National Association informed the district posts andJewish communities with under 1000 souls, that in the course of reorganization and savings meas-ures, all Jewish communities with less than1000 souls will be integrated into the "National Associa-tion". In individual locations, only authorized representatives of the district posts may continue tocarry out the local administrative activities. Because the Jewish community in Fuerth consisted ofonly 635 souls, it was affected by this measure; oral, or written objections against the integrationwere not successful. In an additional circular letter from the Bavarian district post ,dated May26,1941, we were informed, that as of June 1, 1941the chairman of our community, Mr. Julius IsraelFrueh as the authorized representative of the district post Bavaria was charged to continue to conductthe business of the community in Fuerth.In the course of these reorganizations and saving measures, the right to collect dues by the adminis-trative post Fuerth was revoked and transferred to the Bavarian district post. The community wasonly allowed to keep the most essential employees. The remaining employees were dismissed byJune 1 and July 1, or were retired. This included the rabbi of the community, Dr. Behrens. Consider-able salary cuts measures were carried out.It was also decreed in the above mentioned circular letter, that expenditures for Jewish cultural ac-tivities from public funds is not permitted. At a later point in time, a fund from private donations wasestablished with the permission of the surveillance authorities and the currency office in Nuremberg(Jewish cultural account), from which the most urgent expenditures for prayer services and funeralswere covered. An order issued by the National Association states, that as of the end of May 1941, theeducation courses for adults, established and maintained by the Jewish community, can not becharged to the administrative post Fuerth. The Jewish public school could no longer employ thehandicraft teacher. The handicraft education was taken over by volunteers.The decree about the integration of the Jewish community Fuerth into the National Association tookplace on May 27,1941, on the basis of the 10th decree to the National citizen law from July 4, 1939through the National Minister of the Interior. The cancellation of the community association in theassociation register was implemented on September 12, 1941.During May 1941,the transfer of the remaining assets of the Jewish community in the amount of RM330,000 was implemented. Apart from this amount, the National Association received:Carry forward: RM 330,000The assets of the Jewish high school association: RM 33,000The assets of the Jewish orphanage in Fuerth RM 700,000The assets from endowments in Fuerth RM 242,000Total: RM 1,305,000In the time from the 5th to the 8th of August 1941, the students of the 5th, 6th, and 7th grade of theprivate Jewish public school helped to collect old materials from Jewish households, which was or-dered by the authorities. The old material collections were continued on a monthly bases until theclosing of the school in March 1942.A police order was issued on September 1, 1941, regarding a distinguishing mark for Jews (RGBI I,p 547); accordingly it is not permitted for Jews, which have completed their 6th birthday to be seen inpublic without a Jewish star [on their clothing.] Furthermore, according paragraph 2 of this policeorder, it is not permitted for Jews to leave the area of their community without carrying a writtenpermission issued by the local police authorities. Also, according to clause "b" of the paragraph 2 ofthis regulation, Jews are no longer permitted to wear medals, decorations and other insignia. The cit-ies of Fuerth and Nuremberg were declared as separate communities, consequently it was not possi-

ble to enter the city of Nuremberg without permission from the police.A regulation was issued on October 3, 1941 regarding the employment of Jews (RGBI I, p 675). OnOctober 31,1941 an order for the implementation of the regulation from October 3, 1941, was issued(RGBI I, p 681). In paragraph 11of the implementation order the work duties for Jews was addressed.According to a statistic of the administrative office, 170 Jews were employed on October 12, 1941.On October 20, 1941,the administrative office in Fuerth established a middle class food service pro-gram for the benefit of working Jews from Fuerth and as well as needy Jews who are welfare cases.The feeding also applied to Jews receiving welfare care. The implementation of the meal programwas assigned to a Jewish restaurant, which applied certain conditions. A warm meal was provided ona daily bases with a charge of RM 10.00, 25.00, 35.00 up to RM 50.00 per meal, which had to bepaid to the administrative office by the participants according their financial circumstances. Within ashort time 60 - 70 persons participated in this meal scheme. This scheme lasted until the March emi-gration in 1942.In a circular letter dated November 19, 1941, the administrative office announced, that according anorder by the authorities from November 21, 1941, the following objects have to be reported: Type-writers, calculators, copy machines, bicycles, photo-film equipment and binoculars.The 11th regulation to the national citizen law was published on November 25, 1941, which deter-mined, that Jews who normally live in a foreign country, can not have German citizenship, thereforethey will lose the German citizenship when the regulation becomes law while they live in a foreigncountry, or they take up habitual residence in a foreign country later on "with the relocation of habit-ual residence in a foreign country". With the loss of citizenship the assets of the emigrant are for-feited to the state. By this law, all Jews who have emigrated so far have lost their German citizenship.On November 27,1941, the first emigration of Jews from Fuerth took place on the order of theauthorities. Together with a transport from Nuremberg 94 people from Fuerth were included for emi-gration to Riga, amongst them 7 employees of the administrative office in Fuerth, 1 employee of theadministration, one teacher (female), 3 hospital employees, 1 children's home trainee, 1 retired per-son (female).The administrative office made all necessary preparations for the emigration order issued by the se-cret state police, to furnish all necessities for the emigrants, and to put helpers at their disposal. Asewing room was established in the school building, in which rucksacks, hoods for women, mittens,pouches, bread bags, muffs etc. were sewn together. One work group was designated to mark theluggage, another work group to weigh the pieces of luggage, and a third group to collect certain itemsand food designated as "Ghetto commodity". Apart from the personal luggage of up to 50 kg in va-lises and hand luggage, the transport was supplied with a collective ghetto collection gear consistingof: 1 large cooking cauldron, mattresses, iron and paraffin stoves, sewing machines, all kinds oftools, glass and putty, groceries for 8 days, which was supplemented by the food office in Fuerth,also laundry and cleaning materials, bandages and medicines, as well as medical instruments fromthe inventory of the hospital. The emigrants were collected on November 27, 1941 by the secret statepolice from their homes and brought to the Langwasser assembly camp in Nuremberg, where to-gether with the Nuremberg emigrants were cared for by the Jewish community in Nuremberg untiltheir evacuation. The luggage of the emigrants was moved directly by the freight forwarder into theevacuation camp and was put under control there. The freight forwarder then brought it directly to thetrain. Several helpers from Fuerth were assigned by us to work daily in the community camp.In order to finance the transport, the administrative office in Fuerth instructed the 94 emigrants to payinto the "W" account of the Bavarian state bank, which was specially created for this purpose in theamount of RM 17,560. The cost of the emigration amounted to RM 8,658,15. The balance was de-posited to the "W" account of the Bavarian district office of the National Association of Jews inGermany, Munich.In a circular letter dated December 1,1941, the National Association for Jews in Germany made pub-lic under instruction from the surveillance authorities, that it is categorically prohibited for Jews todispose of their movable assets. In special cases, disposals may be carried out with the permission of

the secret state police The administrative office Fuerth of the district office Bavaria established anapplication office, which was assigned to examine and forward applications for disposal applicationsfor the whole of Central Franconia and Upper Franconia.On the order of the secret state police, the Fuerth administrative office made public in a circular letterdated December 9, 1941, that all Jews living in Fuerth, who are obligated to carry the star of David,have to report all commodities in their possession. Subject for registration are: Furniture, linens, bed-dings, clothing articles and individual personal items. 260 reports were forwarded via the administra-tive office on December 15,1941.The Synagogue in the Jewish hospital was closed during December 1941. On the instruction of theNational Association, this room was used to place further hospital beds. Because larger renovationwork could not be carried out , this room was occupied by palliative care patients.

1942The Fuerth administrative office published in a circular letter of January 9,1942 the following orderreceived by the National Association from the surveillance authorities: Jews, who are obligated tocarry the Kennzeichen [identifying badge] are prohibited from using public telephone facilities.The administrative post in Fuerth published in a circular letter from January 13,1942 the followingorder issued by the secret state police: All Jews obliged to carry the identifying badge, must by Janu-ary 15, 1942 deliver to the administrative post in Fuerth all fur and wool items, skies, ski shoes andalpine shoes [climbing shoes].The following items were delivered: 377 furs, 42 fur coats, 9 fur jackets, 32 fur hats, 7 fur vests, 6 furblankets, 4 sport furs, 1 pair fur lined boots, 6 pair fur lined gloves and muffs, 379 assorted pelts,1047 wool items, 7 ski items.In a circular letter dated January 9, 1942 the administrative post published, that effective immediatelythe emigration consulting service is discontinued.In its Jewish communication sheet # 7 dated February 13, 1942, the National Association points out,that according an official order it is prohibited to lodge requests and petitions, especially petitions formercy on the bases of paragraph 7 of the first decree of the law for imperial citizen dated November14, 1935, which must first be checked by the national association for admissibility. The examinationand forwarding of applications to the office for foreign currency of certain requests from the Jewishcommunities in Middle and Upper Franconia, as well requests from the upper Palatine and from allother districts under the control of the foreign currency office in Nuremberg (except requests fromNuremberg) were later transferred to the administrative office in Fuerth.In a circular letter dated February 28, 1942 the Fuerth administrative office announced, that only theadministrative offices of the National Association, consultants, physicians and dentists are entitled toreceive delivery of newspapers by the post office and future local bulletins should be announced in asuitable form.With an order by the authorities from March 24, 1942, the second migration [deportation] was carriedout, 237 persons had to participate in this migration [deportation] to Izbica in Poland, amongst themall 8 employees of the children's home in Fuerth, 10 employees of the Jewish hospital in Fuerth and 1janitor of the administrative office.To aid the migrants [deportees], the same support service as on the occasion of the first migration[deportation] in November 1941was set up. The migrants were given a luggage allowance of 50 kgfor suit cases as well as hand luggage, consisting either of a back pack or nap sack. As well, , com-munity shared luggage was provided , which this time only contained food provision. The municipalfood office in Fuerth supplied the migrants with additional provisions for several days. To finance thetransport, the migrants had to contribute according their means an amount of at least 25% of theirassets. The participants of the transport from Fuerth paid a total of RM 147,606 into the special ac-count "W" of the Bayerische Staatsbank [Bavarian State Bank] in Fuerth, from which the cost of RM

18,835 of this migration [deportation] was covered. The balance was paid into the special account"W" of the district office of the National Association of Jews in Germany in Munich.After the migration [deportation], the children's home of the National Association of Jews in Ger-many was dissolved, because all pupils, whose parents did not live in Fuerth, were sent back and theremaining orphans with the management and staff joined the transport. As a result of the migration[deportation] of nearly all school children, only three school children from Erlangen and three chil-dren from Fuerth remained behind. The Jewish elementary school in Fuerth had to close. Children ofschool age had to go to the Jewish elementary school in Nuremberg, this school was also closed onJune 30, 1942.The city school board bought the total inventory of the Jewish schools in Fuerth for the amount ofRM 700.00 and took possession in 1943.The Jewish news letter from April 3,1942 published an order received by the National Associationfrom the surveillance authorities, whereby as of April 15, 1942 Jewish home owners, who are obligedto carry the identification badge, must also identify their homes with a star of David, printed in blackon white paper.The administrative office Fuerth conveyed in a circular letter from April 15, 1942, the following or-der received by the National Association from the surveillance authorities: Jews, who are obliged tocarry the identification badge, are prohibited from using public transportation within the area of theirhabitation without the written permission of the local police authority. Under certain conditions, itwas possible for Jews who belonged to the work force, school children and doctors to receive officialpermission to use public transportation within the area of their domicile.The Jewish hostel in the Lindenstrasse 22 was vacated on April 27, 1942. Those still living therewere placed in Jew houses.On April 24,1942, four Jewish persons from Fuerth were attached to the migration [deportation]transport from Wuerzburg (Transport to Krasniczyn). The administrative office Fuerth conveyed in acircular letter dated May 18, 1942 the following order by the surveillance authorities, which waspublished in the Jewish newsletter by the National Association namely: Jews who are obliged tocarry the identification badge, are not permitted to keep domestic animals, Jews who still are in pos-session of domestic animals at the time of this order, will have to surrender them.The administrative office Fuerth conveyed in a circular letter from May 28, 1942, the following orderreceived by the National Association from the surveillance authorities: Jews who are obliged to carrythe identification badge are not permitted to avail themselves of the services of an Aryan hairdresser.With the permission of the authorities a senior home was established on June 1, 1942 in the propertyof the National Association located in the Julienstrasse 2 (formerly children's home of the NationalAssociation). All elderly married couples and single persons still living in Fuerth, moved to thehome, thus freeing a great number of dwellings. From now on, only the so called "Jew houses" wereoccupied by Volljuden [full Jews]. The senior home of the "National Association of Jews in Ger-many" housed up to 45 occupants, but under the terms prescribed for senior homes by the NationalAssociation. The senior home was operated by the National Association until September 10, 1942,when most of its occupants had to migrate [were deported].The administrative office Fuerth issued a circular letter on June 10, 1942, in which, on the instructionof the city of Fuerth, the demand was made to the Jewish population of Fuerth to hand over to ouradministrative office all dispensable knit wear, shirts, underwear and clothing.After the completion of the collection, the administrative post delivered to the secret state police onJune 18, 1942 the following: 242 pieces of men’s clothing, 213 pieces of women’s clothing, 1251pieces of old knit wear (assorted underwear and shirts, socks etc.), waste materials, baby diapers etc.In a circular letter the administrative office Fuerth published a directive by the surveillance authority,with the demand that Jewish national subjects and stateless Jews in the meaning of paragraph 5 of thefirst decree of the national citizens law from November 14, 1935 (RGBI I, p 1933) have to hand overto the administrative office Fuerth the following items in their possessions: Electrical devices, recordplayers and records, typewriters, bicycles and optical devices.

The following items were delivered to our collection point to be forwarded to the secrete state police:57 electric laundry irons, 9 electric heating plates, 29 electric pots, 24 electric heaters, 17 electricvacuum cleaners, 6 electric dryers, 46 electric heating pads, 3 electric toasters, 1 electric washingmachine, 8 electric assorted devices, 5 record players, 50 records, 21 type writers, 5 assorted devices,7 bicycles, 12 cameras, 1 projector, 36 binoculars and opera glasses, 2 light meters.Several applicants who required electrical appliances for urgent health reasons, were permitted tokeep the electrical devices. As well, a few laundry irons were allowed to be kept by the administra-tive office to be loaned to members.The National Association conveyed in a circular letter from June 20, 1942, the following orders re-ceived from the surveillance authorities, whereby all Jewish schools will be closed by June 30, 1942.A further order states that after the closing of the schools, the schooling of Jewish children by sala-ried or unpaid teachers is prohibited and tuition in private circles is prohibited.On the instruction from the Nuremberg secret state police Nuremberg, the Fuerth administrative of-fice demanded in a circular letter dated July 24, 1942 from all Jews living in Fuerth who still own furitems, even fur pieces of the smallest size to be handed over. The administrative office Fuerth re-ported to the secrete state police on August 5, 1942 the collection of furs and fur pieces with a netweight of 23,900 kg, which together with the furs collected by the Jewish community Nuremberg areready for delivery.With a circular letter, dated August 13, 1942, the administrative office in Fuerth published an an-nouncement received by the National Association issued the secret state police, stating the following:It is objectionable that Aryan domestic employees still live with and are employed by Jews. Jewsaffected by this announcement are called upon to discharge their Aryan domestic employees.The administrative office in Fuerth announced in a circular letter, dated August 14, 1942, that ac-cording to a directive from the secret state police a further knit good collection will be carried out.All knit goods items are subject to surrender, except in the case personal use. On August 24, 1942,the following was delivered by the administrative post in Fuerth: 1081 kg linen, 505 kg clothing, 234kg rags.On August 4, 1942, the director of the Fuerth administrative office received a notification from thesecret state police, stating that for the end of August, beginning September 1942, an emigration [de-portation] transport to Theresienstadt for all Jews from Fuerth who are over 65 years is scheduled.The final date was fixed for September 10, 1942.As in previous emigrations, the Fuerth administrative post immediately organized a support , a sew-ing room was established, in which rucksacks, bread bags, chest pouches and mitts were sewn. Thesupport service also received the assignment to support the emigrant in every aspect such as packingand settling their affairs.On the order of the National Association, the Fuerth administrative post had to rapidly prepare anapplication to live in an home in Theresienstadt for all persons scheduled to emigrate [be deported]and owning assets over RM 1000. Also, work to fill out application forms for the homes in There-sienstadt had to be completed in advance. Consequently, a total of 49 contracts were closed andtransfers in the amount of about RM 900,000to the account of the National Association was agreedto, including RM 37,000 deposits to the "W" account to finance the transports.After an air raid, we received an order from the secret state police, that in the course of the day thehomes of the emigrants have to be vacated by August 31, 1942, because shelters were needed forpeople with damaged homes. These emigrants [deportees] with all their emigration luggage, includ-ing mattresses will be quartered in the old age home in the Julienstrasse and also temporarily in theJewish hospital. In order to keep the required dead line, the administrative office had to organize apick-up service for people and luggage, thus it became possible for the emigrants and luggage to beready by August 31. By August 31, a total of 130 people were housed in the old age home in the Juli-enstrasse. They were cared for there until their emigration [deportation].The old age home became an evacuation camp under the control of the secret state police and a SSsecurity detail.

Luggage control and body searches took place in the synagogue (formerly the "Waisenschul" or Or-phans synagogue), which was cleared for this purpose. The evacuation took place in the morning ofSeptember 10, 1942, using 4 motor buses of the Nuremberg-Fuerth street car company, going directto the Finkenstrasse train station. The director of the Fuerth administrative office Fuerth was presentwhen the emigrants [deportees] were placed in railway passenger cars and the support service whichwas appointed by the administrative office in Fuerth, delivered the hand luggage.On September 9, 1942 handicapped emigrants [deportees] from Fuerth were transported with twofurniture vans to a previously designated camp in the Knauerstrasse in Nuremberg. The necessarydoctor and nursing service was provided by the Jewish hospital in Fuerth.During the trip the sick people were looked after by a nurse from the Jewish hospital in Fuerth.On September 10, 1942, 159 Jews emigrated [were deported] from Fuerth and a further 6 Jews fromout of town joined the transport in Fuerth. The following was provided in the common luggage:

1. Supplementary food for 8 days with the approval of the food office.2. Reserve food from the emigrants [deportees], which was collected by the aid workers.3. House and kitchen utensils4. Washing material5. Mattresses

Furthermore, the emigrants [deportees] were able to take with them:For travel luggage, either a handy carry-on luggage or a strong, fully packed rucksack.1 bread bag or tote bag as hand luggage1 roll of 1-2 wool blankets.

The transport costs amounted to RM 13.353,51; the balance of the receipts paid in by the emigrants[deportees] into the "W" account of the Bayerische Staatsbank in Fuerth was transferred to the spe-cial "H" account of the Bavarian district office of the National Association of Jews in Germany lo-cated in Munich.Five employees of the Jewish hospital, 2 assistant workers of the administrative office and 2 pension-ers of the National Association were attached to the emigration [deportation] transport."The Old Age home in Fuerth of the National Association of Jews in Germany" was dissolved, asmost old age home occupants emigrated [were deported] on September 10, 1942.With the permission of the secret state police and the municipal housing office in Fuerth, a Jewishhostel was established on October 1, 1942, in the home of the property on Julienstrasse 2.The operation of the Jewish hospital was also kept up after the emigration [deportation], even thougha great portion of its ailing patients were attached to the transport. Left in the hospital after Septem-ber 10,1942 were: 11 patients, which could not be transported, including 5 Jews from Fuerth. It be-came evident in the aftermath, that the Jewish hospital, which at this time is the only Jewish hospitalin South Germany is still viable. The house (hospital) was fully occupied, therefore no subsidies forthe operating costs was necessary.On September 15, 1942, the following were present in Fuerth: 30 Jews from mixed marriages (20from privileged mixed marriages, 10 from common mixed marriages), 3 "Geltungsjuden" [descen-dant of a mixed marriage, who adheres to the Jewish religion], 21 full Jews [Volljuden], 1 foreignJewess (English) for a total of 55 Jews. 5 persons from Erlangen, who on the order of the secret statepolice were sent to Fuerth on August 25, 1942. On September 15, 1942, there were still 60 Jews inFuerth.On September 23, 1942 the administrative office Fuerth received a message from the secret state po-lice, that the Jewish hostel (previously Jewish old age home) to be established in the Julienstrasse 2will have to place Jews from Nuremberg and Bamberg.4 Jewish persons from Bamberg moved on September 29, 1942 to the hostel in the Julienstrasse 2.The Jewish hostel was opened on October 1, 1942, also the 22 Jews, who were deported on October6, 7 and 8 from Nuremberg found shelter in the Jewish hostel. On December 22, 1942, a further 2Jewish women moved from Bamberg [to the hostel]. On October 22,1942, the hostel was occupiedby 37 persons. The occupation number by end of December was 41 persons. The hostel has a com-

mon kitchen, because the regular kitchen is to small. The hostel is charging a fee to take care of therenters and has to be self sufficient.On the instructions of the surveillance authorities from October 7, 1942, the National Associationmade it known that the purchase of books by Jews is not permitted from book stores, only from thebook distribution department of the National Association of Jews in Germany.On December 22,1942 ,pursuant to the demand by the National Association, we sent 10 crates withclothing and linen to the clothing depot of the Jewish community in Berlin , which were designatedto be forwarded to Theresienstadt. A further 21 hampers with children's clothing and children's linenswas made ready for shipping to the National Association at their direction.On December 31,1942, there were still in Fuerth: 38 Jewish men, 47 Jewish women, [a total of] 85Jews. In addition 2 Jewesses, Glaubensgenossen [Converts to Judaism]. The 85 Jews consisted of:

[total] male femaleJews from privileged mixed mar-riages

16 7 9

Jews from ordinary mixed marriages 13 10 3foreigners 3 1 2Geltungsjuden 3 2 1full Jews 50 18 32[total] 85 38 47

To establish the Jewish population for 1933, the key date would be June 30, 1930, which showsabout the same values.The Jewish population on June 30, 1930 about 2,335

• Moved about 377• Emigrated about 213• Migrated about 494• Arrested about 4• Left the Jewish community about 4

Jewish population of Fuerth on December 31, 1942 85Jews from other places, which on the order of the secret state police had to move to Fuerth:

• Moved from Erlangen 5• Moved from Bamberg 6• Moved from Nuremberg 22• Taken in from Bayreuth 1• [Total] 34

At the completion of this chronicle on March 31, 1943, 83 Jews were still living in Fuerth, includingthe 34 Jews admitted to Fuerth from other places. The breakdown is:

total full Jews from mixedmarriages

Geltungsjuden foreigners valid Jews

14 yrs andless

6 4 - 2 - -

14 - 55 yrs 38 27 9 1 1 -55 - 65 yrs 16 9 6 - 1 -over 65 yrs 23 8 14 - 1 -[total] 83 48 29 3 3 -

In addition:arrestedJews

4 3 1 - - -

valid Jewsof Aryanrace

2 - - - - 2

[total] 89 51 30 3 3 2

The following institutions and properties belonged to the Fuerth administrative office:1) The property in Fuerth, Theaterstrasse 36The Jewish hospital, which functioned fully as the only Jewish hospital in southern Germany andalso took care of out of town patients.Still employed in the Jewish hospital:

1 salaried nurse1 salaried cook1 volunteer orderly2 volunteer nurses aids1 volunteer house keeper1 volunteer manager

2) The property in Fuerth, Julienstrasse 2The Jewish hostel, which housed 41 persons. employed the following workers:

1 female manager1 caretaker1 female cook

All other household chores were carried out by the residents.3) The property in Fuerth, Blumenstrasse 31, (formerly the school)This property housed as well the offices and clothing depot of the administrative office, also roomsfor Jews living in mixed marriages. In addition, 3 previous classrooms were designated for the use ofthe city of Fuerth and the finance office of the city of Fuerth to store furniture and other objects offurnishings. The work in the administrative office was carried out by:

The honorary director1 employee1 full time employed and unpaid assistant1 assistant looking after burial matters and sundry jobs.

One part of the residual items of furnishings of the former children and senior home of the NationalAssociation of Jews in Germany was given to the occupants of the Jewish shelter, and another part tobe used in the Jewish hostel, and the balance of the inventory was made available for use in the Juli-enstrasse 2 and Blumenstrasse 31.

1943The administrative office Fuerth still had the obligation to carry out the following assignments:

• The settling of the current administrative and statistical work.• The administration and utilization of the inventory on hand.• To supply the Jewish inhabitants of Fuerth with knitting materials and shoe wares from the

clothing depot and the administration of the clothing depot.• The supervision and administration of the Jewish hospital and the Jewish hostel in Fuerth.• To effect burial procedures.• Execution of orders from the authorities: Secret state police, municipal housing office, mu-

nicipal office for economy.

• Unemployment office Nuremberg-Fuerth in Fuerth.• Communications with the authorities, including the foreign exchange office in Nuremberg

and the Aryanization office for real estates in Nuremberg.• To distribute information to the authorities, finance offices and banks, especially about emi-

grated and migrated Jews, who previously lived in Fuerth.

Fuerth, March 31, 1943Supplement to the story of the Jews in Fuerth / Bavaria 1943In the frame work of the dissolution of the National Association of Jews in Germany, the administra-tive office in Fuerth was also dissolved and the assets of the National Association situated in Fuerthwere confiscated. The premises of the office were sealed.All Jews still living in Fuerth, except Jews living or those who previously lived in mixed marriagesemigrated [were deported] on June 17, 1943 partly to Theresienstadt, partly to the east.The Jewish hospital and the hostel in the Julienstrasse 2 were closed. Fifty persons from Fuerth werepicked for the purpose of emigration [deportation], namely 21 persons for Theresienstadt and 29 per-sons for the east. From the latter, 2 persons avoided emigration by escape. Nine persons from Nur-emberg and several persons from other communities in the district joined this transport.The persons who became homeless due to the closing of the hostel in the Julienstrasse 2 and the hos-pital were housed in the Blumenstrasse 31 [school building]. Amongst them was Mr. Josef Pachter,who was a patient in the hospital and who used to live in Nuremberg.The settlement of general affairs took place in Fuerth by Dr. Julius Nuernberger from Nuremberg,who was appointed by the secret state police as trustee. He also was in contact with the still existingadministration of the National Association of Jews in Germany, which was responsible for the wel-fare of destitute Jews and for the possible admittance to the Jewish hospital in Berlin for the sick orJews in need of an operation.The following persons living in Fuerth died in 1943: 3 in the concentration camp Auschwitz, namely1 living in an ordinary mixed marriage and 2 living in privileged mixed marriages.The doctor of the Jewish hospital, Dr. Leo Daniel, who escaped from his deportation to the east onJune 17, 1943, was caught by the police and committed suicide on August 29 or 30,1943 in the courtof justice prison in Fuerth. He was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Fuerth. Fanny Loewenthal, anEnglish citizen was taken to an internment camp.On December 31, 1943, 30 Jews were still living in Fuerth, namely:

18 persons of male sex12 persons of female sexIn ordinary mixed marriage 12 persons, of these 9 male and 3 female.In privileged mixed marriage 15 persons, of these 7 male and 8 female.Geltungsjuden 3 persons, of these 2 male and 1 female.

The following table contains information about the structure by age:age total ordinary mixed mar-

riageprivileged mixed

marriageGeltungsjuden

m f m f m funder 14yrs

1 1

14 - 55yrs

9 2 - 2 3 1 1

55 - 65yrs

7 2 2 2 1 - -

over 65yrs

13 5 1 3 4 - -

total 30 9 3 7 8 2 1[The grading of mixed marriages and children of such marriages is a separate and complex matter.]

Willie Glaser: The "final solution" for the Jewish community in FuerthIt took the Gestapo apparatus ten years, from 1933 - 1943 to liquidate the several hundred year oldJewish community of Fuerth.In order to fully understand the "Final solution of the Jewish question" (Endloesung der Judenfrage)and its devastating impact on the Jewish community in Fuerth, it is important to establish a brief out-line of the bureaucratic path taken by Hitler and his directives flowing from him to Hermann Goer-ing, whom he gave extensive powers to plan and facilitate extreme anti Jewish measures in coordina-tion with high ranking functionaries of the party and the leadership of the SS.In July 1941, Reinhard Heydrich, the head of the RSHA, Reich’s Main Security Office (Reichssi-cherheitshauptamt), obtained from Hermann Goering, the authorization to proceed with the formula-tion of an overall blue print for "The Final Solution" a code name for "Industrial killing of Jews".The first deportation of Jews from Fuerth was carried out in November 1941. This deportation wasonly a warm up for the genocidal killing machine. Initial plans for these measures were formulated inJanuary 1942 at the macabre Wannsee conference initiated by Reinhard Heydrich.It took only ninety minutes for the officials of the various ministries and SS establishments invited byReinhard Heydrich to discuss and plan the implementation of the "Final Solution of the Jewish ques-tion", which in reality meant the death sentence for millions of Jews.The speed in which these plans were drafted should not be a great surprise, Hitler invested a lot ofbrain power, seven of the 15 signatories to the protocol were PhD's. Six of the signatories were highranking SS officers.The Jewish humanity of Fuerth did not stand a chance, they had to suffer this deadly onslaught by theSS and its components against their existence. Understandably, the neutral tone of the chronicles ofthe Hitler years as compiled by Miss Grete Ballin for the Gestapo can not tell the dramatic story ofJewish life in Fuerth during these oppressive war years. On June 18, 1944, Miss Grete Ballin wasdeported to Auschwitz, she perished there.On a personal note I have endeavoured to relate to this tragic period by portraying what I think wasmy mothers and fathers role during this very difficult period in their lives. My mothers and her chil-dren lived in Fuerth (see Jewish life in Fuerth 1939 - 1943: The chronicles of my mother Adele Gla-ser), my fathers life in Paris (see The tragic odyssey of Ferdinand Glaser: The chronicles of thesearch for the fate of my father in France 1939 - 1943) were in the hands of the Gestapo and SS.These two organizations constituted the main gears for the engine of genocide, which was well oiledfor the "Endloesung" or "final solution".For the Nazi bureaucracy, deportations and eliminations of Jews became a mere administrative mat-ter, which had to be organizationally prepared and governed by regulations.Examples of this deadly bureaucracy are the attached Gestapo documents under Anatomy and logis-tics of the Fuerth deportations.One of the very few localities where Gestapo files survived is Wuerzburg. To day the StaatsarchivWuerzburg [State archives] holds many Gestapo documents, which Nazi officials failed to destroy intheir haste to get out of town as American troops were about to enter the city.In my research into the deportations of members of my family I became aware of deportation trainmanifests always showing the number of deportees on the train as some 1000 persons. It seems theGestapo and the German railway was comfortable with this figure.A notable example are the deportation trains from France to Poland, numbered from 1-77, each trainholding some 1000 Jews. Which means from March1942 to August 1944 the German Railwaymoved some 75,700 Jews from France to Poland, mostly to Auschwitz.This was the case with the deportations from Fuerth. In every instance the Gestapo collected some1000 Jews from towns such as Nuremberg, Fuerth, Wuerzburg and Bamberg in a collection train[Sammelzug / transport] to destinations such as Riga, Izbica, Krasniczyn and Theresienstadt.Deportation trains of the Deutsche Reichsbahn (DRB), German Railway and Gestapo guide lines.This is a selection of several Gestapo documents relating to deportation trains. Gestapo document #53 relates to the deportation of March 23, 1942, in which Jews from several cities were collected on

one deportation train, destination Izbica.The attached Gestapo document # 117 shows the route taken by the deportation train DA 49 April 25,1942, final destination Krasniczyn. [This train number supplied by State archives Wuerzburg]. Ge-stapo document # 283 confirms the departure of transport train DA 49. Gestapo document # 35 iden-tifies the Wuerzburg transport as GZ [Gueterzug] 6610, freight train and GZ 6842 from Bamberg,this train number was changed to GZ 6604 in document # 41. It is difficult at this point in time tofigure out why a "GZ" indicator was applied.The above examples of trains and train designations are meant to show the involvement of "DieDeutsche Reichsbahn", the German railway with the Holocaust. This is only a very brief overview ofthe massive support given by the German railway to the extermination process, in this case the Jewsfrom Fuerth.Inspite of the very heavy war time demands on the rolling stocks of the German railway, the Germanrailway was able to provide transports for thousands of German Jews to the concentration camps,business had to be conducted, even if it was not the right commercial commodity.The German railway asked for and received their pound of flesh. The DRB negotiated a deal with theGestapo regarding payments for the deportation transports, which had to be paid into a special bankaccount by the deportees. Cynically, the fare was a group rate, excursion fare, a one way ticket. Thiswas the contribution of the DRB to the "Himmelfahrt fuer die Juden", a Gestapo and SS jargon for"final journey to the heaven for the Jews " (see The chronicles of my mother Adele Glaser).For the first deportation from Fuerth to Riga in November 1941 the German railway used regularpassenger cars, 3rd class. this was confirmed to me by Harold Reissner a Riga transport Holocaustsurvivor. Further research brought out the fact, that the DRB used locked and controlled passengercars while travelling in Germany. while deportation trains outside the borders of Germany consistedof freight cars.The reason is obvious, Nazi leadership avoided the scenes of misery of a freight train overcrowdedwith Jews to be witnessed by the greater German population. My research convinced me, that theauthorities did not completely succeed with this effort. To start with, deportation trains had a lowpriority. By necessity the DRB had to give priority to military and armament shipments. Deportationtrains were shunted to sidings to let high priority trains pass. I am convinced, that many people fromthe civilian population looked at these trains.A great number of German railway officials and workers were directly involved or had seen the de-portation trains. I am just wondering what did a railway worker tell his family in the privacy of theirhomes?Holocaust survivor Harold Reissner from Fuerth states in his video tape interview with the StevenSpielberg project: "We were loaded on open trucks and driven to the Langwasser camp in Nurem-berg."The shortest route, about 10-12 km from Fuerth to Nuremberg is along the Nuernbergerstrasse, whichchanges to the Fuertherstrasse at the city border Fuerth/Nuremberg. The point is, that many people onthe street must have seen the trucks guarded by the SS and filled with Jews who were wearing a starof David (Davidstern) on their clothing.A factor of the great sufferings by the deportees from Fuerth must have been the long durations oftheir journey to the various concentration camps, such as Riga, Izbica, Krasniczyn, Theresienstadtand Auschwitz. In Gestapo document # 117, the travel time for the deportation transport of April25th, 1942 is given as over three days.The Jews from Fuerth demonstrated an extraordinary courage during their journeys into a hellishunknown. Harold Reissner, a survivor assured me of the steadfastness of the people on the train toRiga. The deportees from Fuerth expected to be umgesiedelt (resettled) somewhere, they knew theyare going to have to face some stark realities at their destination. Their wishful thinking made thembelieve they will have to work for the German war effort. This thought was reinforced by the selec-tion of common Ghettogut (ghetto commodities) such as cooking cauldrons, iron and paraffin ovens(probably portable), mattresses, sewing machines and a selection of tools (see Instruction of the Ge-

stapo for the first deportation of Franconian Jews on November 29, 1941 to Riga-Jungfernhof).German railways acknowledged its role in the transport of millions of Jews to the death camps, as itschairman laid the foundation for a memorial at the main deportation station in Berlin: "What happensin the 12 years between 1933 and 1945 is an irrevocable part of the history of the railway just as it isof German history," said Heinz Duerr, chairmen of the national railway company Deutsche BahnAG. "Based on this, we have the duty to do whatever is possible to insure this type of contempt forhumanity never again has a chance on German soil or in our company".

This account is written for the sake of the innocent Jewish souls of Fuerth.

http://rijo-research.de © Susanne Rieger, Gerhard Jochem; Stand: October 21, 2006